"A passerby spotted the (electrical) sparks coming off the wire," Lamoureux said. "He called 911, then notified the homeowner."

The husband and wife who were in the two-story home as well as their dog were uninjured.The fire started in the electrical wires between the house and the electrical meter on the outside of the house.

From the outside, the fire travelled up into the eaves. "Once it got up there, it traveled into the attic space," Lamoureux said. "Once it gets into the attic, it will travel quickly."

Firefighters cut a hole in the roof and pulled down the second-floor ceiling to get at the fire.There is about $30,000 to $40,000 worth of structural and cosmetic damage to the Gambrel-style home, Lamoureux said.

The fire was toned out at 1:18 a.m., and firefighters were on the scene at 1:25 a.m. The fire was declared under control at 1:58 a.m.